Daniel b



(No Model.)

D. B. DEVORE.

ELECTRIC RAILWAY.

Patented June 17 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

DANIEL B. DEVORE, OF UNITED STATES ARMY.

ELECTRIC RAILWAY.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 430,515, dated June 1'71890.

Application filed March 27, 1890. Serial No. 345,588. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, DANIEL B. DEVORE, lieutenant United States Army, acitizen of the United States of America, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Electric Railways; and I do hereby declare thefollowing to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention,such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains tomake and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings,and to letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of thisspecification.

This invention relates to systems for transmitting electrical energy tomotors traveling on a track or way, wherein the current is conveyed tothe motor on the vehicle from conductors arranged below the plane of thetrackrails.

My said invention consists in the improvements hereinafter fullydescribed and set forth, whereby a simple and eflicient arrangement isprovided that will enable the current to be led to the moving motorwithout subjecting the intermediate devices to the jars and shocks thatmight otherwise be experienced, and at the same time the conductors,while readily accessible to the contacts, are entirely protected fromdirt, moisture, and other foreign matter that works its way beneath thesurface of the roadway. Furtl'ieradvantages are secured by myimprovements, notably among which is the fact that no objectionableobstructions are presented on said road-surface.

In the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification,Figure1 isavertical transverse sectional view through the improved conduit,forming part of my invention, showing the working position of thetrolley. Fig. 2 is a side View of the trolley and its con tact-arms.Fig. 3is a detail perspective view of the trolley, illustrating itssectional character and showing how the insulated conductors are clampedtherein. Fig. 4 is a detail view showing the construction and manner ofsecuring the wearing-strips to the frames adjacent to the slot. Fig. 5isa detail sectional view illustrating a modified construction oftrolley, and Fig.6 is a detailperspective view illustrating a diiferentconstruction of conduit.

Previous to my invention, as far as I am advised, in systems where theconductors were located below the plane of the road-bed, the devicesintermediate of the motor and said conductors were so connected with thevehicle that they were suspended from the same, and hence were subjectedto all the vibrations that the vehicle sustained in its movement. As isclearly apparent such an arrangement has its objections. Again, theconstruction of the conduit, so asto effectivelyprotect the conduct orsfrom dirt and moisture dropping through the slot, has been more or lessof a problem, and in some prior instances the conductors have beensupported in brackets projecting from the vertical walls of the conduit.My improvements remedy these objections, and at the same time presentadvantages not before contemplated.

In the construction of the conduit of my improved system a series ofmetal frames are employed, which are arranged transversely below theroadway at intervals along the same, and each of said frames is made ina single piece, comprising upper horizontal portions at a, separated toform the slot, outwardly and downwardly curved portions Z2 Z7, inwardlyand downwardly inclined portions 0 a, horizontal base portion d, andcentrally converging standards 6, connected by an intermediate brace f.On the upper and lower sides of the horizontal portions a ct are securedbearing-strips A B, the inner edges of which are flush with the verticalwalls of the slot. These strips may be made of steel or wroughtiron toresist wear.

Transverse hangers or brackets 00 in the troughs D serve to supportstrips h of insulating materiaL-which extend longitudinally and, ifnecessary, continuously along the conduit, and these strips areconnected to said hangers by any suitable devices. Bearing against theinner sides of the portions 0 are planks C of wood, longitudinally andcontinuously extending along the conduit to form the outer wall of eachside conductor-trough D. A like plank E of wood bears against each ofthe standards 6 to form the other wall of its particular trough, andeach plank is securely bolted to that portion of the frame against whichit bears. On each strip h the main conductors F F are secured. In orderto prevent the decomposition of the wooden planks O E, they may, beforebeing placed in position, be treated with any waterproofing agent-as,for instance, creosote or carbolic acid. It will be noted that the upperslot is of comparatively small width, one-half inch under somecircumstances being all that is required, and the planks E E are sopositioned that they form between them a chamber for the reception ofdirt, moisture, 850., dropping through the slot, the distance betweenthe upper edges of said boards being consider ably greater than the slotto insure all sub stance and moisture being deflected into the chamberbetween. V

The trolley consists of a block of steel or wrought-iron shaped as shownin Fig. 1, and comprising upper and lower enlarged portions G H andvertical intermediate web I. The faces of the portions GH, bearingagainst the strips A B, are horizontal, while the external surfaces arerounded or curved to avoid angles. As shown, the trolley is made in twovertical sections, the adjacent faces of which are rabbeted to enablethem to be compactly secured together by bolts 7) i, Fig. 3, and by suchan arrangement the insulated conducting-wires jj, transmitting currentto the motor, can be snugly clamped in recesses therefor formed in theadjacent faces of the sections. The enlarged portion H at each sidecarries a pair of projecting ears 7c 70, the outer side of each having alug Z, with both of which lugs engage loops m, located on the upper endof a curved and downwardly-depending arm J, containing an insulated wirein one piece with one of the wires jj, and adjacent to the side of theportion H the end of said arm is cut away both on its under and uppersides, so that it can have a limited vertical movement relative to theconnection on which it is hung. The lower end of said arm J is providedwith a bushing n, of insulating material, serving to tightly hold thewire that passes below the arm and terminates in a brush or any othersuitable form of medium to contact with the main conductors. Each end ofthe trolley above the slot carries an eye 1) or other means by which achain or hinged rod can connect it with some portion of the vehicle.

It will be understood from the foregoing description that the trolleytravels positively along the slot and is in no way affected by thevibrations of the Vehicle. Furthermore, the conductors F F arethoroughly protected from dirt or moisture. It will be preferable insome cases to construct the walls of the conductor-troughs of brick,Fig. 6, concrete, or cement material.

For the purpose of reducing friction, antifriction rollers seated in theportions G H may be employed, as indicated in Fig. 5.

Many modifications in the details of construction will readily suggestthemselves in the practical operation of my improvements, and Itherefore do not wish to be understood as strictlylimiting'myself to theconstruction herein shown and described.

I claim- 1. The combination, with a slotted conduit below the surface ofan electric railway and containing the main conductors, of atrolleyblock sliding along said slot and having upper and lower lateralportions adapted to respectively bear against the upper and lowersurfaces of the top of the conduit adjacent to the slot, said blockbeing provided with depending conductors, together with lateral portionsabove and below the slot, and motorconnections, substantially as setforth.

2. The combination, with a slotted conduit below the surface of anelectric railway and containing the main conductors, of a trolleyblockcomposed of two or more sections clamped together, conductors carried bythe same and depending from said trolley and contacting with the mainconductors, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination, with a slotted conduit below the surface of anelectric. railway and containing the main conductors, of a trolley blockcomposed of two or more parts adjust ably bolted together and havinglateral portions above and below the slot, conductors carried by saidblock and depending from said block and contacting with the mainconductors, substantially as set forth.

4. The combination, with a slotted conduit below the surface of anelectricrailway and containing the main conductors, of a trolleyblockhaving conductors and carrying pivoted yielding contacts, substantiallyas set forth.

5. The combination, with a slotted conduit below the surface of anelectric railway and containing the main conductors, of upper and lowerwearing strips adjacent to said slot, and a trolley-block carryingdepending conductors and having lateral portions adapted to bear a ainstsaid stri s substant-iall 1 as" set forth. 7

6. The combinatiomin a slotted conduit arranged below the surface of anelectric railway, of the frames slotted at their top and having sidetroughs forming a central chamber, provided with a top opening ofgreater width than the slot, and insulated strips and main conductorslocated in said troughs, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

in presence of two witnesses.

DANIEL B. DEVORE. Witnesses:

E. W. JOHNSON, WVILLIAM PAXTON.

